Suho glanced away, muttering under his breath, "Mhm. You did most of it."
"Team effort!" Yeongsoo replied with a wink, ruffling Suho’s hair as he walked past him to set the table. Suho ducked away, grumbling, but the faintest hint of a smile tugged at his lips.
"Why don’t you wake Haeun up?" Yeongsoo suggested. "Tell him the food’s ready."
Suho hesitated, glancing toward the living room. "He’s still asleep. He’ll be cranky if I wake him too early."
"Not when he smells this," Yeongsoo teased, ladling a bit of the steaming soup into a bowl. "Come on, it’ll make him happy that you helped."
After a moment’s pause, Suho nodded and padded over to the couch. He knelt beside Haeun and gently poked his arm. "Hyung," he called softly.
Haeun stirred but didn’t open his eyes, his brow furrowing slightly as he burrowed deeper into the cushions.
"Haeun Hyung, get up. We made food," Suho tried again, this time shaking Haeun’s shoulder lightly.
Haeun let out a groggy groan, his eyes fluttering open. He blinked blearily at Suho, his expression softening when recognition set in. "You made food?" he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.
"Well, I helped," Suho said quickly, glancing away as if embarrassed.
Haeun smiled faintly, sitting up with effort. "You helped cook? That’s new."
"Yeongsoo made me do it," Suho admitted, though there was no malice in his tone. "But I didn’t mess anything up."
"I’m sure you didn’t," Haeun said, patting Suho’s head affectionately. "Thanks, buddy."
Suho’s cheeks tinged pink as he stood and stepped back, motioning for Haeun to follow him. "Just come eat before it gets cold."
In the dining area, the table was set with simple elegance: bowls of steaming soup, freshly cut fruit, and a platter of roasted vegetables. Haeun’s eyes widened as he took it all in.
"You two went all out," he said, glancing between them.
"Credit where it’s due," Yeongsoo said, smirking. "Suho’s got a pretty decent chopping technique now. Might even put me out of a job."
Suho crossed his arms, but the corners of his lips quirked up. "Yeah, right."
Haeun chuckled as he took a seat, his gaze lingering on the spread. "This looks great. Thank you, both of you."
As they ate, the atmosphere was warm and easy. Suho sat straighter, occasionally glancing at Haeun to make sure he was enjoying the food. And when Haeun hummed in appreciation, Suho couldn’t quite hide the small, pleased smile that appeared on his face.
By the end of the meal, Suho leaned back in his chair, his cold demeanor having completely melted away for the night. "So... what are we cooking next time?"
Yeongsoo grinned, reaching over to ruffle Suho’s hair again. "That’s the spirit."
"Well let Haeun decided on that.."
After the table was cleared and the dishes were stacked in the sink, Haeun stretched lazily, leaning back in his chair. His eyes wandered to Suho, who was helping Yeongsoo rinse the plates.
"You two are getting along well," Haeun teased, his voice light with amusement.
Suho glanced back with a scoff, though there was no real edge to it. "Don’t get used to it. I still find this very weird."
"Weird but helpful," Yeongsoo interjected with a grin, nudging Suho’s shoulder. "Admit it, you had fun."
Suho rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it, his lips quirking up slightly.
Haeun chuckled, standing up and stretching again. "I think I’ll head to bed early. The baby’s making me sleepy all the time...these days."
"Take it easy," Yeongsoo said, wiping his hands on a towel. "I’ll finish up here and check on you later."
Suho’s brow furrowed slightly as he watched Haeun leave the room. When the sound of his footsteps faded, he turned to Yeongsoo, his tone quieter than usual. "He seems... more tired lately. Is that normal?"
"It’s normal," Yeongsoo assured him, placing a hand on Suho’s shoulder. "Carrying a baby is exhausting work, especially this far along. That’s why we’re here—to make sure he’s not overdoing it."
Suho nodded, though his expression remained thoughtful. "He shouldn’t have come to the store today."
"Probably not," Yeongsoo agreed. "But Haeun likes to keep moving. It’s his way of staying positive."
Suho didn’t reply immediately. After a moment, he picked up a towel and started drying the dishes, his movements slower than before. "Do you think the baby will like me?"
The question caught Yeongsoo off guard, and he paused, studying Suho’s face. There was a vulnerability in the boy’s eyes that he rarely showed.
"Of course," Yeongsoo said firmly. "Why wouldn’t they?"
Suho shrugged, his voice barely above a whisper. "I’m not... good at this family stuff. I don’t know how to be an older brother."
"You don’t have to be perfect," Yeongsoo said, his tone gentle. "You just have to be yourself. The baby will love you because you’re you."
Suho’s lips pressed into a thin line, but there was a faint glimmer of relief in his eyes. "...Okay."
"Hey," Yeongsoo added, nudging him lightly. "You helped cook dinner tonight, didn’t you? That’s already a great start."
Suho let out a small laugh, his earlier tension easing. "Guess so."
By the time they finished cleaning up, the house had settled into a peaceful quiet. Yeongsoo walked Suho to his room, pausing at the doorway.
"Goodnight, Suho," he said, ruffling the boy’s hair one last time.
Suho swatted his hand away but smiled faintly. "Goodnight, hyung."
As Yeongsoo headed to his own room, he peeked into the master bedroom, finding Haeun already curled up under the blankets, his breathing deep and even.
With a soft smile, Yeongsoo slipped into bed beside him, careful not to disturb his sleep. He rested a hand on Haeun’s belly, feeling the faint movements of their baby beneath his palm.
"Everything’s going to be okay," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "We’ll make it work—together"
Haeun’s stomach moved again as if acknowledging Yeongsoo words which made him very happy.
"Goodnight Haeun.." Yeongsoo leaned giving him a kiss on the forehead before closing his eyes.